Kenyan sprinter lights up spirits of special kids

Students with special needs at the Rashid Centre for the Disabled have always been mesmerised by the visits of celebrities to share their charm with them.

On Wednesday, it was yet another day for many at the centre when gold-medallist paralympic and marathon blind Kenyan runner Henry Wanyoike visit along with his shadow Joseph Kibunja. Wanyoike is goodwill ambassador of “Seeing is Believing,” an initiative of Standard Chartered Bank to tackle avoidable blindness and visual impairment. It is a collaboration with International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and leading eye care organisations. It raises funds for investment in eye care projects that aim to have long-term impact in areas of high need. Talking to The Gulf Today, Wanyoike said that he was happy to meet some of the children with disabilities and it was a matter of great admiration that some were engaged in activities only meant for mainstream people.“As part of the ‘Seeing is believing’, I have been encouraging people to fulfil their dreams regardless of any physical challenge and spending some time with the students with the Rashid Centre proved that if you want to achieve something in your life you can do so like these students,” he said. The runner has been practising for his upcoming challenge, the race in Dubai, and is confident of winning as well as help raise awareness.“My participation in the Standard Chartered event ‘Dubai Marathon’, a global event in which people around the world are participating, is mainly to highlight the message the campaign has been spreading as well as to raise funds to eliminate blindness in the world,” he added. The Kenyan runner inspired many by sharing his experience.